Millet vs. Rice: Top Things to Know - 24 Mantra Organic
Millet vs. Rice: Top Things to Know - 24 Mantra Organic
Millet vs. Rice: Which Grain is Healthier?
Health and Nutrition
29.10.2020
The debate of millet vs. rice is not new; it has been going on from ancient times. While some people love rice, some love millets as there are many varieties of them. Is millet better than rice? If this question is spoiling your peace of mind, then put a stop to that by going through this write-up.
First, let us have a clear idea about these 2 grains separately.
Millet – What is it?
Millet, belonging to the Poaceae family, is a small cereal grain mainly found in India and many countries of Africa and Asia. Its high fibre, protein, calcium, antioxidants and gluten-free nature has made it popular across the world. There are 2 types of millets; one is major, and another is minor.
Major millets have the following varieties
Finger or ragi
Pearl or bajra
Proso or white millets
Foxtail
Minor millets have 7 varieties:
Kodo
Little
Fonio
Barnyard
Guinea
Adlay
Browntop
Nutritional Information
If you cook 175 gm or 1 cup of millet, you will get the following:
Energy
207 calories
Carbohydrates
41 gm
Protein
6 gm
Fibre
2.2 gm
Fat
1.7 gm
Phosphorous
25% of daily value
Folate
8% of daily value
Iron
6% of daily requirement
magnesium
19% of daily requirement
Millet vs. Rice: Benefits of Consuming Millet
Is millet better than rice? Have a look at the following benefits to know the answer.
About 100 gms of cooked finger millet will provide you with 13% of the daily needed calcium, which is useful in maintaining, muscle contractions and bone health. It also helps the blood vessels and nerves work properly. No other cereals can give this amount.
With its phenolic compounds, namely catechins and ferulic acid, millet helps combat the damaging oxidative stress. Moreover, ferulic acid acts as a healing factor for inflammation and wounds.
Its low glycemic index has made it apt for the diabetic patients. It can also regulate the sugar level of blood owing to its non-starchy polysaccharides and high fibre.
People who have celiac diseases or are on gluten-free diet can consume millets without tension as it has no gluten.
Lots of essential amino acids are present in millet which acts as the building blocks of protein.
Rice – What Is It?
Knowing about rice is also important when it comes to millet vs. rice. One of the ancient cereal grains, Oryza sativa or rice is a staple food in the majority of the countries. Though you can find various types of rice, it has mainly two varieties – white rice and whole grain rice or brown rice.
Nutritional Information
When it comes to the amount of carbohydrates, fibre and protein, both brown and white rice have similar amount. From 100 gms of cooked rice, you will get
Energy
130 calories
Fat
0.19 gm
Carbohydrates
28.7 gm
Protein
2.36 gm
White Rice and Brown Rice
White rice is tasty and looks great and has a long shelf life. However, the amount of nutrition is very less as it is thoroughly polished and refined, which removes all the germs and bran. On the contrary, brown rice is a whole grain, which does not undergo any polishing. Thus, all the fibre, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins remain intact. Brown rice is good for people with heart diseases, obesity and type-2 diabetes, according to a report of the American Heart Association.
Millet vs. Rice: Benefits of Brown Rice
When compared to white rice, the brown variety has a lot more benefits.
Brown rice has ample plant compounds that lead to good health. It has lignans that act as antioxidants and is effective against breast cancer, osteoporosis and heart. Another powerful antioxidant, ferulic acid is also present in it that can be effective for diabetes and cancer.
Brown rice has lots of vitamins and minerals which are not present in white rice.
The manganese content of brown rice helps in the proper development of the human body and metabolism.
Thiamin is good for heart and muscle whereas selenium is good for DNA functions and hormonal functions.
By cooking 100 gms of white rice and brown rice separately, you will get the following vitamins and minerals
Brown Rice
White Rice
Manganese
42% of daily value
16% of daily value
Niacin
16% of daily requirement
3% of daily requirement
Selenium
11% of daily value
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Magnesium
9% of daily need
2% of daily need
Thiamin
15% of daily need
2% of daily need
Millet vs. Rice: the Final Thought
Many studies have proved that rice can enhance insulin resistance which can lead to type-2 diabetes owing to its high glycemic index. On the other hand, millets have a low GI. Furthermore, ragi has lots of calcium; pearl millet contains a high content of folate, whereas foxtail millet has lots of proteins. Not only that but the organic variants of millets and rice is even better due to the lack of harmful chemical compounds.
According to a report published in the Hindu, opting for a millet diet in place of rice and wheat brings a healthy change in one’s lifestyle. However, for the utmost benefits, you need to consume them in the form of whole grains.
In spite of that, cutting down rice completely from your diet is not recommended. Though you can use millet more, it is better to have both the grains in their proper amounts to have a healthy body and mind.